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. 2014 May;90(5):955-962.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.13-0496. Epub 2014 Mar 17.

Nutritional status of young children with inherited blood disorders in western Kenya

Becky L Tsang, Kevin M Sullivan, Laird J Ruth, Thomas N Williams, Parminder S Suchdev

Nutritional status of young children with inherited blood disorders in western Kenya

Becky L Tsang et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2014 May.

Abstract

To determine the association between a range of inherited blood disorders and indicators of poor nutrition, we analyzed data from a population-based, cross-sectional survey of 882 children 6-35 months of age in western Kenya. Of children with valid measurements, 71.7% were anemic (hemoglobin < 11 g/dL), 19.1% had ferritin levels < 12 μg/L, and 30.9% had retinol binding protein (RBP) levels < 0.7 μmol/L. Unadjusted analyses showed that compared with normal children, homozygous α(+)-thalassemia individuals had a higher prevalence of anemia (82.3% versus 66.8%, P = 0.001), but a lower prevalence of low RBP (20.5% versus 31.4%, P = 0.024). In multivariable analysis, homozygous α(+)-thalassemia remained associated with anemia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.8, P = 0.004) but not with low RBP (aOR = 0.6, P = 0.065). Among young Kenyan children, α(+)-thalassemia is associated with anemia, whereas G6PD deficiency, haptoglobin 2-2, and HbS are not; none of these blood disorders are associated with iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, or poor growth.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: This paper is published with the permission of the Director of KEMRI.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Selection of survey participants in Nyando Division, Kenya.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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